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Sunday, May 03, 2009

Dancing in the Anerley Gardens

I came across this card in Southwark Local Studies archive, advertising dancing at Anerley Gardens in Penge. Anerley Gardens were open from 1841 to 1868, next to Anerley station, and featured a hotel, tearooms, a maze and a bandstand. Oddly Anerley is spelt as Anerly - presumably the spelling had not yet been standardised.

A contemporary visitor described Anerley Gardens as 'prettily disposed, with every imaginable device to make a visitor prolong his stay. The old Croydon Canal runs at the end of the grounds, and is kept well stocked with fish; there are few resorts more calculated than this to afford innocent recreation and healthy enjoyment' (Adams's Pocket descriptive guide to the environs of the metropolis).

Sorry about the quality, it's a scan of a photocopy of the original. The full text says: 'Admit Two to Anerly Gardens, Archibald Hinton. Dancing every Evening in the Gorgeous Al Fresco Rotunda. Fireworks by Jones of Camberwell. As the Gardens are so crowded on Mondays and Saturdays this Order will not be Admitted on those days. This Order is available Every Evening (except Mondays and Saturdays) until June 30th , and not after. Return Crystal Palace Tickets are available at the Anerly Station. Trains from London Bridge to Anerly Quarter past every Hour'.

Archibald Hinton was the owner of the Anerley Gardens from 1860, having previously been the proprietor of the Highbury Barn in Islington. The Anerley Arms pub was built on part of the site.

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